Shadow Of The Day
by slayya
Summary: The shadow of the day will embrace the world is grey and the sun will set for you.' Set in World War II, Chad has to go to war, Troy and Gabriella are banned from being together. Will their relationships be able to last? Troyella, Chaylor, eventual Chyan.
1. Beginnnings?

Chad sighed as he snuggled up with Taylor on the sofa of his living room. His parents were out so this was the first alone time they'd had together in weeks. So why wasn't he enjoying it while he had the chance? He knew exactly why. He'd had a lot on his mind recently. He so wanted to tell Taylor about it...but he couldn't…he just didn't know how she would take it...but he desperately didn't want to hurt her...

"Chad?" Chad was snapped out of his thoughts and looked down into his girlfriend's concerned eyes. "Are you okay? You've been very distant of late."

Chad leant down and kissed her forehead softly. "I'm fine hun. Really. Just thinking is all."

"What about?"

"Nothing you need to worry your pretty little head about." Chad said, laughing at the indignant look she gave him. Taylor didn't like being kept in the dark, but how exactly could he tell her without shattering the heart he'd come to know so well.

***

"I worry about him Gabriella. He hardly talks to me anymore." Gabriella nodded her head sympathetically.

"He's probably just got some stuff going on. He'll tell you when he's ready."

"Yeah I guess. Hows things with you and you-know-who then?"

Gabriella sighed deeply. "His parents found out. They fired Mom and banned us from seeing each other anymore."

"What? That's crazy! You're family's been working for the Bolton's for how many generations now?"

"4...though apparently they don't take kindly to their dear son falling for someone with Hispanic blood in them." Gabriella hung her head. "I don't know Tay...I just miss him so much."

Taylor pulled her best friend close. "It'll work out eventually. You'll see."

***

Taylor walked round the corner and into her road. She was deep in thought until she noticed the slightly ajar gate to her house and then a moment later Chad sitting next to the path.

"Chad? What are you doing here?"

Chad rose to his feet, walking over and taking her hands in his. "Tay...I have something I need to tell you..."

Taylor nodded warily. "Okay..."

"I have to go to war."

Taylor stood there stunned, staring at her boyfriend. "You what?"

"I have to go to..."

"Yes! I heard what you said Chad! Can I just point out please that there is no 'have to' about it? You do not _have _to go to war. It's not compulsory for people for us."

"I still want to defend my country Tay...they need everyone they can get."

"A country that shuns you?! A country that makes us eat separately, live separately, heck even sit in different places on the bus! That's the kind of country you want to defend?!"

"Yes Tay. It is. It's still my home. You're a girl, you don't hear the kind of stuff I do about this Hitler guy. He's a real piece of work. You're shielded from this kind of stuff. Plus, I thought you'd understand...I just want to do what's right...I want you to be proud of me Tay..." Chad had tears in his eyes by this point.

"Chad...I..." The tears began to leak from Taylor's eyes as well and Chad pulled her two him, a few tears escaping him and landing in her dark hair. "Please don't leave me..." she whispered into his chest. "I love you."

Chad sighed deeply, clinging on to her so tightly he was worried he could be hurting her. If he was, she didn't voice it. "I love you too...but don't you understand why I have to do this? For me if nothing else...it'll give me purpose Taylor. Something worth doing with my life."

Taylor nodded softly into his chest. "Well I'll wait. I'll wait for you."

***

Gabriella was roused slowly from sleep to hear tapping at her window...she frowned, getting out of bed, and wrapping her dressing gown around her shivering form and shuffling to the window.

She parted the curtains and saw a boy down below her, throwing small pebbles at window. She unlocked the window and slid it open. "Troy..." she hissed. "What are you doing here?"

"I had to see you." He replied. "Can I come up?"

"Troy...I don't think..."

"Please." Gabriella stared at the boy's face and sighed deeply. "Alright, give me a minute to get downstairs without alerting Mom. Troy nodded and waited patiently while Gabriella slipped her slippers on and crept downstairs to unlock the front door.

As soon as they were back up in her room, Gabriella locked the door softly, hoping no noise she'd previously made has woken her mother. She turned round to see Troy smiling at her. "I missed you."

Gabriella returned the smile. "I missed you too."

Troy approached her, enveloping her in his arms. "I'm so sorry about all of this you know? My parents just don't see how much I care about you..."

"But this is the way things are Troy...we can't change society." Troy's hand lingered gently over her cheek. "I know and it hurts me so god damn much that we can't be together."

"Maybe in the future we can...but for now...we have to walk our own roads alone and hope they cross again." Gabriella told him, her heart breaking as she said it.

Troy held her close, knowing she was right. "Can't we just stay here? Forever?"

"If only." She whispered. "If only."

***

Chad stuffed the last of his T-Shirts into his large khaki duffle. It was then he heard a knock at the door. "Hello?"

His mother opened the door and Chad turned round. "You're...you're father's ready to take you to the airfield." Chad tried to find something else to focus on than his mother's face.

"Yeah, thanks."

The next thing he knew his mother had grabbed him by the arms, shaking him. "Why Chad? Why? Why do this to us? To yourself?"

Chad hung his head. "I'm sorry Mom…I didn't want to hurt you...I wanted to make you proud of me..." His mother pulled the slightly taller boy into her chest. "Oh my darling. I've never been anything but proud of you. I always have and always will be."

"I love you Mom." Chad whispered before pulling away and swinging his duffel on to his back. He was about to walk out of his room for who knew how long when he spotted something. A ribbon on the side, a dark blue one. It was Taylor's. She'd left it there two weeks previously. He stared at it for a moment before his mother picked it up and swiftly tied it round his wrist. "So you don't forget her..."

Chad glanced at her, a sad look on his face. "She's my world Mom. How do I survive without her?"

"You do it for her...this will help." She said, gesturing to the ribbon. "It'll help you remember what you have waiting for you when you come home."

_Okay guys, new for me. So hope you like it. Review to let me know what you think. Thanks Slayya_


	2. Letters

_22nd October 1941_

_Dear Taylor,_

_So I'm finally here. I've started my training and been assigned a unit. It's an all black unit (obviously to be expected) and the ones I've met all seem to be pretty nice guys. I have yet to meet my two officers. They say I will be shipped out within the month._

_I hope everything well at home and my family's doing okay without me. Let them know I love them and miss them very much._

_Is it strange that sometimes out in the fields surrounding the base a gust of wind will catch my hair and I think I can almost smell you on the breeze? I miss you so much Tay, and at night the image of your face is what I fall asleep imagining. If only I could hold you once again. I would give anything for that moment of pure bliss._

_Hope you are well and remember as long as I am in your heart, I will never have truly left your side._

_Yours always now and forever,_

_Chad_

Taylor must have read the letter a thousand times already. Her heart ached with the loss of him, but she had to be strong for him and for his family. He was depending on her. So, she sat down at her old, small, wooden desk and picked up her ink pen...

_9th November 1941_

_Dear Chad,_

She paused, what to write? She glanced back to his letter lying next to her and then took a breath, touching pen tip to paper.

_I'm glad everything to going well. As you requested I called in on your Mom the other day. She seems to be coping, I guess looking after little Shane is keeping her busy. She's 'Where's Chad?', 'I miss Chad' and 'When's he coming home Mommy?'. He obviously is just too young to understand._

_I've been spending a lot of time at the park where we first met. I mean we obviously knew each other by reputation but it was the first time you had the guts to actually approach me. Guess we both shouldn't have judged each others books by their covers...If someone had told me that in just 2 short years everything that has happened would have I really wouldn't have believed them. I mean me? Dating Chad Danforth? Not in a million years. Guess I was wrong huh?_

_In other news I've been sending letters and telegrams to my Aunt Tess in England. They seem to be struggling with rationing and the such like over there. However, she's managed to get a job in a factory packing up equipment and food packs to be sent out to the soldiers. Sounds like, in her small way, she's making a difference..._

_You're never far in my thought and I cannot wait for the day when you return to me._

_All the love I possess_

_Taylor_ _xxx_

AN – Okay I know it's short but I think if I made it any longer it wouldn't work as well so I'll try and do a quick update to make up for that. Plus of course, the more comments and ideas I get from you guys the quicker updates you get (I know I'm mean :-P) Thanks everyone. Slayya


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